Mondelez International CEO Irene Rosenfeld on Tuesday sought to sidestep speculation that her newly formed company could be looking at its third major event in about as many years.

"There's no question that there's lots of chatter out there, and I'm not going to comment on the chatter," Rosenfeld said in a call with investors to discuss the snack-maker's first-quarter results. "We have created a very unique company with tremendous opportunity for growth."

She added that "consumer demand for snacking is growing at a very healthy rate around the world, especially in emerging markets," which was a primary factor in the decision to focus on that part of the business and growth in developing countries.

Mondelez, the Deerfield-based packaged food-maker of Oreo, Triscuit and Tang, was known as Kraft Foods until October, when it spun off its North American grocery business and assumed its current name. And in 2010, Kraft acquired Cadbury in a $19 billion deal.

Last month, activist investor Nelson Peltz disclosed increased positions in Mondelez and PepsiCo, leading to speculation that he may push for a merger of the food and beverage giants.

In an interview, Rosenfeld declined to say if she's had recent discussions with Peltz. The investor's Trian Fund Management also declined to comment.

Rosenfeld is a former CEO of Frito-Lay, a unit of PepsiCo.

Analysts said any deal between the two companies is far from certain.

"While Mondelez is only beginning to exploit the potential opportunities that should result from operating as a focused global snacks business, the looming question is whether management would view a tie-up with PepsiCo favorably, as has been suggested," Morningstar analyst Erin Lash wrote in a research note.

She added that while her firm believes "any deal could unlock additional value for shareholders," it remains to be seen whether the two companies could reach a deal, credit markets would support "the nearly $46 billion of debt needed to consummate" it, or if regulators would approve it.

Also Tuesday, Mondelez posted quarterly earnings that were slightly better than expected and raised its full-year earnings forecast because of a benefit from a tax item.

Excluding items, earnings were 34 cents per share.

On that basis, analysts on average were expecting 33 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Net income was $568 million, or 32 cents per share, down from $813 million, or 46 cents per share, a year earlier